A young woman who died from `economy class syndrome' on a long-haul flight home for Christmas was laid to rest yesterday before a huge congregation of family and friends.

Alayne Wake, 28, died from deep vein thrombosis with only half an hour of her flight remaining on December 20.

Mourners crowded into the chapel at Sunderland Crematorium where heart-felt prayers were said for the young businesswoman.

Her father Kevin and younger sister Gillian were comforted by close friends and family as they said, their last goodbyes at the Christian ceremony at Sunderland's Crematorium.

Rev Alison Hutchinson, from St Nicholas' family Parish church spoke about Alayne's short life.

She said: "A loss of life is always tragic but Alayne was so young and the circumstances were so unexpected. Alayne loved life and certainly lived it to the full. She was a keen athlete with a huge heart and will leave behind that legacy of love."

The chapel heard about how Alayne loved her work and travelling around the world, visiting places such as Bali and Australia.

She added: "Alayne lived her short life to the full and enjoyed travelling and visiting different places."

Alayne, who worked and lived in Singapore, was travelling home to Sunderland, Wearside to spend Christmas with her family when the tragedy happened.

She had been sitting in the economy section of the super-jumbo Boeing 747-400 aircraft and it is understood she collapsed after leaving her seat to go to the toilet.

It is believed her death was caused by a blood clot which originated in her right calf during the 13-and-a-half hour flight.

A doctor, nurse and paramedic who were also passengers on the Singapore Airlines jet, helped cabin staff attend to Alayne.

The aircraft's defibrillation equipment was used to try to revive her but she died with just over half an hour of the flight remaining.

The tragedy comes just five months after Alayne lost her mother, Pat, 57, following a two-year struggle against cancer.

Alayne had caught the Singapore to Heathrow flight and intended to fly to Teesside airport to be picked up by her father.

She had been planning a family Christmas with her father, Kevin, younger sister Gillian and her husband, Anthony and her grandmother, May Taylor.

Mr Wake, 57, the former commercial manager of Sunderland Training and Enterprise Council, said, at the time of her death: "Alayne had planned for us to have a Christmas just as her mum would have wanted it.

"The family is numb. We can't take it in. Alayne packed a lot into her 28 years, she has travelled all over the world and made friends everywhere.

"She was very outgoing and never had any problem making friends.

"Her bosses said she had a bright future and a good career ahead of her.

Alayne had lived in Singapore for 18 months after landing a job as customer services manager in the Asia-Pacific region for French company Oberthur Card Systems, which makes finance-related plastic products such as credit cards and phone cards.